


What We Have to Give

by CallMeBombshell



Category: Battlestar Galactica
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-08-07
Updated: 2009-08-07
Packaged: 2017-10-15 17:47:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/163300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallMeBombshell/pseuds/CallMeBombshell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>"The tension in Dee's face says she's waiting for a punch and Kara takes a moment to wonder why, but Starbuck's pulling her over to the side and she's wondering how to phrase this and neither of them are really thinking all that much about hurting her right now."</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	What We Have to Give

_"That's just it, Kara. I didn't want to make it back."_

 _Starbuck doesn't know what to say to that, not when the honesty in his voice is tearing holes in her heart, and Kara's got no more clue as to how to make this right. She knows Dee's hiding just around the corner and she wonders for a moment if she'll call Starbuck out for not coming up with some witty remark to make him laugh. Then she wonders what Dee would say instead, because she seems like the sort who'd be good at these things._

She hears about them from Helo, and if something in her chest seems to wrench sideways for a moment, at least she's got this feeling of relief to focus on instead. She remembers the look he gave her, all empty eyes and hollow voice telling her he'd let her down and Starbuck remembers feeling helpless. She doesn't like that feeling; she likes knowing what to do and what to say and this sense of inadequacy bothers her.

She knows he's working on flight rosters in the ready room and she's on her way to see him, but when she reaches the door she can hear voices already so she pauses to listen. She knows Dee's voice by her tone, and she doesn't think she could ever mistake his voice for any other, but they're speaking too softly for her to hear their words. She peeks around the hatch and sees them standing close, Dee's hand on his shoulder and the ghost of a smile on his lips and suddenly Kara feels sick because he hasn't smiled for her at all. Starbuck pulls herself back, makes herself walk down the corridor, makes herself think of anything except how she wanted to see him smile again but someone beat her to it.

The next time Starbuck sees Dee, she literally runs into her as the other woman hurries around the corner from the senior officers' quarters. "Sorry, Captain," she says, stepping back to avoid hitting her, and tries to move around her but Starbuck and Kara both hold out a hand to stop her.

"Wait, Dee, you got a minute?"

The tension in Dee's face says she's waiting for a punch and Kara takes a moment to wonder why, but Starbuck's pulling her over to the side and she's wondering how to phrase this and neither of them are really thinking all that much about hurting her right now.

"You're lucky, you know," Starbuck says, and Kara wonders when they started sounding so alike.

"Excuse me, sir?" If times were lighter, Dee's whole-hearted confusion might be funny. But times are heavy now and Kara's got things to say, Starbuck's got things to say, that they never thought they'd have to.

"He won't even talk to me," they say, and Dee frowns, but lets her continue. "I'm going to be honest, here, Dee; I wish it was me that's picking him up these days. But frak if I'd know how to do that, and what matters anyway is that he's alright."

"I wouldn't say he's alright," Dee says, "But he's doing better, Captain." Something in her voice is just the tiniest bit guarded, and Kara can't really blame her; Starbuck doesn't do feelings, and Kara doesn't really know this girl, but for some reason they're both talking to her.

"Listen, Dee," she says, and this time it's mostly Kara, although Starbuck's got a stake in this, too. "He's my best friend. And I don't know how to help him this time." She eyes the other woman and carefully arranges her words. "But it seems like you do," she says. Dee's eyes widen a bit, but she says nothing so Kara continues.

"He needs someone, and if that's you, then I'm glad. Maybe you can put him back together. Maybe you can't, maybe no one can. But either way, you've got my thanks, Dualla."

She holds out her hand and Dee stares at it for a moment, stares at her, and they can almost hear her brain working, wondering what the catch is, wondering what's gotten into Starbuck, wondering what's going on. But she reaches out and takes Kara's hand anyway, a small smile on her face.

"I'll try, Captain," she says. "But I'm not the only one he needs."

She's all Kara now, and she opens her mouth but she doesn't know what to say to that, so she just nods. Dee gives her a salute and Starbuck returns it automatically and they both turn to go their separate ways down the corridor. They've only taken a few steps when Dee calls to her and she turns.

"Don't worry, Captain," she says, and something about her smile is a little grateful and a little sad and a little too knowing for her taste. "He'll come back. He always does, doesn't he?"  



End file.
